Case filed against Udhayanidhi Stalin for involving minor in poll campaign

Tiruppur police have filed a case against DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin for allegedly involving a minor in an election campaign, officials said on Sunday.

The case was filed under the Representation of the People Act and the Juvenile Justice Act, officials added.

According to police officials, the incident occurred during a campaign rally near the Periyar statue in Dharapuram town on Saturday.

Udhayanidhi allegedly brought a minor boy onto a campaign van and handed him a microphone. The boy reportedly made disparaging remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

The Dharapuram Town Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the DMK leader under Section 123(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and Section 83 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. Authorities stated that the involvement of a child in campaign activities is also a direct violation of Election Commission guidelines, which strictly prohibit children from participating in election-related events.

Udhayanidhi was in the town seeking votes for DMK candidate S Suganya ahead of the October 6 Dharapuram by-election. The campaigning came to an end on Sunday.

Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.

The DMK has not yet released an official statement regarding the charges.